


11. PSYCH 101

by Anything00but



Series: Whumptober 2020 [11]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Angst, Beta Peter Hale, Child Neglect, Child Stiles Stilinski, Claudia Stilinski is Not Stiles Stilinski's Parent, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Alpha Talia Hale, Good Peter, M/M, Sheriff Stilinski is Not Stiles Stilinski's Parent, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Sick Claudia Stilinski, Talia Hale & Claudia Stilinski Friendship, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, Whumptober 2020, Young Peter Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:01:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anything00but/pseuds/Anything00but
Summary: A little wolf comes running towards Peter. The wolf stops before Peter and looks at him with his big brown amber eyes, before turning back to a human. Now before Peter is standing a little boy, ten at the most. The little boy eyes Peter suspiciously for a second before sniffing his wrist. As soon as he gets a good sniff the boy is latching himself in Peter’s lap.“You smell good”, The boy tells him, “Why do you smell so good?”
Relationships: Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: Whumptober 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947130
Comments: 15
Kudos: 838
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	11. PSYCH 101

defiance/struggling/ **crying**

  
  


“Claudia, John, it is so good you could make it”, Talia says smiling brightly as she opens the door to let the Stilinskis in looking behind them, “And where the little one happens to be?”

“Oh- Stiles went to play with Cora as soon as we arrived”, Claudia answers, smiling back at the alpha.

“I am so happy that they get along. It’s good that Cora has a friend”, Claudia says little sadly, knowing his youngest daughter has been having a hard time getting friends in the kindergarten because she acts a little too much like a wolf.

“I’m just as happy that they are friends. It’s good for both of them”, John joins in the conversation looking back at the yard seeing Stiles running after Cora, who is in her wolf form.

Stiles starts to strip down his own clothes letting them fall on the ground.

“Stiles, honey!” Claudia yells after the boy, “Fold your clothes first.”

Stiles folds his pants quickly, then discarding his shirt in the same pile before shifting to his wolf form and running after Cora who is growling at him playfully. The two small wolves disappear behind the house where they can hear Derek yelling at them.

“Please come on in”, Talia says, giving her guests room to step in.

“Joseph!” Talia calls for her husband who is in the kitchen preparing the food.

“Yes darling?”

“How’s the food coming?” Talia asks, leading the Stilinskis to the garden at the back of their house like every Sunday.

“Almost ready”, Comes Joseph’s answer.

They take a seat at the long table where the family gathers to dine together every Sunday like clockwork. Claudia and John have been coming to the dinner almost fifteen years now, ever since Talia and Claudia became friends back in college.

They are having a quiet conversation about their week when they get interrupted by someone.

“Talia”, Is a formal greeting, neutral for all of its worth.

“Peter”, She greets back, before turning to look at her friend and her husband, “You must remember my younger brother Peter?”

“Yes, of course”, Claudia nods, shaking Peter’s hand in a greeting, “It’s good to see you Peter. It’s been so long since we last saw each other. What have you been up to?”

“I have been in New York”, Peter answers politely, with a little smirk, “Just finished my degree in law studies. I’m a lawyer now.”

“How did you like the student life?” Claudia asks curiously.

“It was great, I got so many new acquaintances in the supernatural world. I have thought about starting my own firm, however I will see what I will be doing in the near future.”

“That is great, I’m sure you will find out what you want to do. Just take your time. You are still young”, Claudia says encouraging before a coughing fit takes over her.

John offers her a napkin and she takes it. Only to give it back bloody, Peter notes as he watches. He has no idea what illness could affect like that, to smell so much like death, now that Peter pays special attention to it. His confusion must show on his face since Talia shakes her head. So Peter stays quiet and doesn’t ask about it.

“I will need to use your bathroom”, Claudia says shakily as she gets up with the help of her husband.

They disappear back inside the house when a little wolf comes running towards Peter. The wolf stops before Peter and looks at him with his big brown amber eyes, before turning back to a human. Now before Peter is standing a little boy, ten at the most. The little boy eyes Peter suspiciously for a second before sniffing his wrist. As soon as he gets a good sniff the boy is latching himself in Peter’s lap.

“You smell good”, The boy tells him, while settling in a good position in his lap, “Why do you smell so good?”

Peter has a lap full of a puppy. The boy’s hair is a mess on his head that is sticking to every direction. The brown locks look wild and Peter doesn’t bother to try and tame them. The little boy in his lap carries the scent of Claudia and John, so Peter makes the connection that the little boy is theirs. The boy’s white skin is covered in dirt. Usually Peter wouldn’t stand dirt on his clothes but he doesn’t get the urge to push this puppy off of him.

Peter is at a loss of words of the kid. This little wolf, so straight forward, no sense of self prevention in front of an unknown, older and so powerful wolf, latches himself onto him. But he must admit, the little wolf’s scent is good, like really good. Like earth after rain and cinnamon. Such an innocent thing, Peter thinks as he scents the boy back. Usually puppies are afraid of new people, they are suspicious of strangers and won’t come close to them. Usually puppies stay really close to their parents when there are strangers close by but not this one.

“Stiles”, Talia says scolding but with warmth behind her voice.

“Where did my mommy go?” The boy, Stiles, asks from Peter, wiggling to turn around in Peter’s lap, still butt naked.

“She had to use the restroom”, Peter answers, eyes wide as he stares at the little creature in his lap. Those huge amber eyes staring right back at him, Stiles’ scent taking an interested turn.

Stiles stares at him intensively for a minute before squinting his eyes. It seems like he can see straight through Peter. It’s concerning. The boy lets out an excited yelp as he turns to look around only to turn back to Peter. He smells excited but there is something behind the scent. Like he is nervous but doesn’t want to show it.

“Your eyes are so blue. They are so beautiful”, Stiles observes tilting his head thinking hard, “Are your wolf eyes also blue?”

Peter is shocked how observant the little boy is. He is asking all the right questions to fulfill his curiosity, Peter doesn’t see anything bad in that, but he is glad his sister saved him from having to answer the question. He doesn’t want to scare Stiles, not when he smells so divine.

And no one in his pack knows that he indeed has blue eyes also in his wolf form. He had a little accident during his time away from the pack home. He hasn’t told Talia about it and if he can help it she will not find out about the change in Peter’s eye. She would not understand and she would only become wary of him. Peter doesn’t need that right now, now that everything is going well for him.

“Stiles, that’s not a polite thing to ask from someone”, Talia says, saving Peter from having to answer, “And no. Peter’s wolf eyes aren’t blue. They are yellow. Like Derek’s.”

“What’s your name? How old are you? I haven’t seen you before? Why haven’t I seen you before? You smell like Talia’s pack, but you haven’t been at the family dinners”, Stiles speaks on, rush of words leaving him breathless as he looks at Peter.

“I’m Peter, I’m Talia’s brother”, Peter answers with a little smile at the strange child, “And I am twenty four.”

“I’m eight. You are sixteen years older. That’s not a lot.”

Peter doesn’t know how to answer as he stares at the little pup still talking in his lap. It is a little strange for Stiles to count their age difference. But the little boy seems a little different compared to a child of his own.

He doesn’t have time to wonder what the age thing is when Cora comes.

“Uncle Peter!” Cora screams running at them and jumping also in Peter’s lap.

“Hey you”, Peter laughs moving Stiles a little so Cora could fit better.

Cora pokes her uncle at the side. Hard. Peter is impressed at how much power the little girl has in her tiny arms and he says as much. Cora sticks her tongue out before laughing.

“What did you study?” Stiles asks curious, tilting his head as he stares at Peter with his all seeing eyes.

“Law.”

“Is it interesting? I don’t know what I want to do when I’m a grown up. Maybe I will be a police officer like my daddy, maybe I would like to be a teacher like mommy. Or I can be a doctor.”

“Stiles breath”, Cora laughs staring at her friend, “He gets like that when he gets excited.”

“Yeah”, Stiles nods, taking in a deep breath, burying himself in Peter’s neck, and to Peter's surprise he lets the pup scent him.

He never lets anyone close to his neck and now this pup he has known five minutes is buried in there. Talia looks just as surprised but doesn’t commend as she sees Peter’s look. Cora jumps on his lap trying to get Stiles to let go.

“Hey!” John yells from the backdoor making Stiles flinch and move away from Peter’s neck, “What have we talked about this Stiles?”

“That I can’t go sniffing people before asking permission first”, Stiles says, lowering his head, carefully tilting his head in submission to his father.

Peter finds this fascinating. John and Claudia are humans, both. Yet they have a werewolf son who seems to have accepted his father as a head of the house. But Peter is worried about how John has gotten Stiles’ submission. A wolf won’t submit just to anyone and John doesn’t strike as much of a leader to Peter. He needs to ask about that from Talia later. 

He lets Stiles slip on the floor who slowly walks to his father.

“But daddy, he smells like sooo good”, Stiles whispers as he is close enough for John to hear it, but Peter hears it since he has werewolf hearing, so does Cora, “Like you and mommy. Like home.”

“Put your clothes on for heaven’s sake. Were you raised in a barn?” John asks annoyed, that is clear as a day to Peter making him frown.

“Where’s mommy?” Stiles asks looking behind his father not seeing his mother.

“She doesn’t feel good so we decided it’s time to go”, John says, taking hold of Stiles’ hand to lead him to his clothes.

“I don’t want to leave yet. We just got here”, Stiles cries out looking at Cora, the air smelling of panic and anger.

“Your mother doesn’t feel well, we need to go home so she can rest”, John tries to reason sounding tired, like they have this conversation a lot.

“I don’t want to leave yet!” Stiles yells, yanking his arm, Peter ready to get between the man and his son if the situation becomes more urgent.

“Stiles!” John yells, the air now fully filled with anger which only makes Stiles panic even more, too young to know any better.

“John, we can drop Stiles off later, or he can stay the night”, Talia steps in scenting the distress of the pup.

Peter notes how Talia’s mother instincts seem to work even on Stiles even if the boy is not her child nor officially pack as far as Peter can tell. He could be wrong though as he looks around seeing every wolf ready to step in. Even little Cora in his lap.

John looks at Talia and then back at his son before sighing and nodding: “If he is too much trouble just give me a call.”

“We will, but I’m sure we can manage. Right Stiles?” Talia asks, opening his arms, letting Stiles walk behind her as the boy glares at his father.

“We will be going then”, John says, leaving without saying a goodbye to his son, or even looking at him before disappearing from the view.

Stiles sniffles behind Talia, hands tight in her skirt seeking comfort at the abandonment of his father. The boy looks absolutely pitiful if you ask Peter, as he watches from the side, Cora still in his arms.

“I need to go”, Cora whispers and Peter lets her down.

He watches as her niece walks slowly next to the now silently crying boy taking him in her tiny arms. Comforting, giving him support like a pack member should. Cora lets Stiles hug her tightly, seeking skin contact and comfort. How could a father leave his son like that?

“It’s alright Stiles. We are here. I am here”, Peter hears Cora whisper in Stiles’ ear hugging the little boy tightly and Stiles clutches her hard, afraid to let go.

“Talia?” Peter asks, walking next to his sister, who is standing at the side, ready if Stiles needs anything.

“Not now Peter”, Is her only response not even looking at Peter, eyes hard on the boy and Peter nods.

“Let’s get you clothes so we can eat”, Cora says after a while as Stiles has calmed down, but is still smelling sad.

Stiles nods following Cora and they dress up together before Talia leads them to the table.

Talia sits at the head of the table, like an alpha should, Joseph on his right, Peter takes a seat on the left side of her, as her left hand. The children take seats where they want. Cora seats Stiles between herself and Peter, giving a look to Peter that reads as “keep him safe”. Derek and Laura are opposite of them. 

Peter watches Stiles interact with the pack. Even though the boy has not lived with a pack he knows how to act as a part of it. The alpha takes food first as everyone else waits before she eats, then it’s free for everyone to take. 

But everyone else waits for Stiles to take food. That’s what is interesting to Peter, every person should be higher in the hierarchy than the boy living outside the pack but the pack treats him as part of them. Even Peter notices himself waiting until the boy has taken his first bite. 

All of Talia’s children give some of their food to Stiles’ plate as the boy eats. He offers a grateful smile to them, the scent of sadness slowly changes to happiness. The boy is basically radiating happiness by the dessert as Talia serves him a huge piece of a chocolate cake.

“Do you want to stay a night, darling?” Talia asks from Stiles who nods smelling grateful, “That’s nice to hear. I will make your usual room ready for you.”

Peter follows Talia inside the house as the night starts to darken as the children stay outside with Joseph.

“So…” Peter starts as they walk in the one of the many spare rooms the Hale house has.

“Stiles isn’t John’s and Claudia’s son”, Talia says as she starts to make the bed fully knowing what her brother is asking, “They couldn’t have children, it broke Claudia. All she has ever wanted was a child. One morning they woke up to find a baby boy at their doorstep. Just left there, no note or nothing. They took care of him until he flashed his eyes for the first time. Then they knew the boy wasn't fully human. They brought him here and I confirmed that the boy is a werewolf.”

“I thought so. Neither one of them smelled supernatural to me”, Peter hums looking at Talia telling her to continue.

“The boy needed a pack so we took him in since Claudia was already pack. John didn’t take the idea well at first that Stiles would spend so much time here. Stiles is…”, Talia stops and turns to look at Peter, “Stiles is a wonderful young boy, so smart and so full of wonder. So tight grip of his wolf that he hasn’t flashed his eyes since he was a baby, shifting happening like he has practiced it for years. Even Derek doesn’t manage his shift as well yet and he is fifteen.”

“I noticed that he is extraordinarily smart for his age”, Peter nods, talking more to himself than Talia.

“He has only once shown his wolf eyes, and they were blue, or so John told us. We all know what that means and it has put John wary of his son.”

“So no one has ever seen his eyes to confirm it?” Peter asks suspiciously, no wolf has such a good grip of their wolf at that age. Cora flashes her eyes all the time, even Derek and Laura have accidents still.

“Claudia, she’s sick. There’s no cure or else I would have offered the bite to her. John didn’t take it well when they found out that Claudia would die. She is his love. He has been focusing on her and the medical bills. I offered to help pay them, since they are pack but he refused. Stiles has been spending a lot of time here the last year or so since Claudia’s condition has gotten worse.”

“She doesn’t have long”, Peter states, understanding why John would be so on edge, “Does Stiles know?”

“He must smell it, but I don’t think they have told him yet. He is Cora’s age, he is too young to go through the loss of a mother”, Talia says sadly as she puts the pillow down, the bed done, “I don’t want to step over the line and act like his mother since Claudia position is still mother to Stiles- but- but I don’t know what to do.”

“Talia?” Comes a quiet whisper at the door making both of them turn at the voice.

Stiles stands there, staring at them with his big eyes. Peter has no idea for how long the boy has been standing there. He didn’t hear him approach. It makes him wonder- Derek, his nephew doesn’t manage to sneak up on him like this and he has been training for years. But this puppy… this little pup has managed to do it without training.

“Yes, Stiles?” Talia asks falling to her knees to be at the same level as the boy.

“Could I have some of that cake, please?” He asks avoiding looking at the alpha.

“Of course you can. Peter here will come with you and give it to you”, Talia says nudging Peter to move.

Stiles reaches his hand up, waiting for Peter to take it. And Peter does. He takes the boy’s small hand and leads him through the house to the kitchen. The boy smells happy that Peter holds his hand. 

“Would you like some soda with your cake, darling?” Peter asks and Stiles radiates happiness once more as he nods taking a seat at the bar stool.

“Thank you”, Stiles says as soon as Peter gives the cake and soda.

“You are welcome, sweetheart.”

Stiles seems to enjoy being called by nicknames, or at least his scent tells Peter so.

“How long will you stay?” Stiles asks as he has eaten half of his cake.

“I’m not leaving, I have finished school”, Peter answers with a smile.

“You’re not?” The boy perks up, “Would you like to be my friend?”

Peter must have taken too much time to answer since the boy’s face falls before he starts rambling.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I understand, not many want to be my friend. I talk too much and I can’t keep still. My only friends are Cora and Derek and Laura. The kids in the town think I’m annoying. But I can’t help it. Even daddy doesn’t like me that much anymore, I’m either too loud or move too much. I just thought since you are Cora’s favorite you would want to be my friend.”

The eight year old explains in a voice full of sadness. It makes Peter’s cold hard break just a little. 

“I would love to be your friend darling”, Peter says sitting next to Stiles to show he is serious.

“Really?” Stiles asks looking at Peter with eyes wide.

“Of course. You are so smart I can’t wait to get to know you better”, Peter tells the child with a smile on his face, voice full of amusement.

“I can tell you all about the reproduction cycle of corals”, Stiles says, basically jumping up and down on his stool.

“I would be happy to hear all about it”, Peter says as Stiles climbs in his lap as he is already telling him about it. 

And the boy can talk. He tells Peter about corals for more than a half an hour. Stiles throws his hands in the air as he tells him about what kind of the sea water has to be. Stiles widgets in his lap, playing with Peter’s hands, burying his face in his neck as his rambling starts to slow down.

“Are you tired?” Peter asks, checking the clock seeing it half past nine.

Stiles nods.

“Why do you smell so good?” Stiles asks as Peter is carrying him on the stairs, “Like, no one has ever smelled so good. Mommy smells nice, like flowers. But you…”

“Yes?” Peter asks, “What do I smell like, little one?”   


“Like forest and rain”, Stiles takes a good sniff, “It’s calming.”

Stiles brushes his teeth in the bathroom while he makes Peter wait for him outside. He is a big boy and does it himself.

“Want to hear a secret?” Peter asks as he places Stiles in his bed.

Stiles nods eagerly.

“You too smell really good”, Peter whispers, “Like cinnamon and earth after rain. It’s a nice scent.”

“You really think so?” Stiles asks hopefully looking at Peter with so much hope. 

“Yes, it must be one of the best smells I have smelled”, Peter nods, giving a small smile to Stiles. Not one of his facade smiles he gives everyone else.

“Sleep well Peter”, Stiles whispers as Peter turns the lights off and is closing the door.

“You too darling”, And Peter closes the door to a scent of pure happiness.

  
  


\-------------------

  
  


Peter wakes up in the middle of the night when something crawls in his bed. He jumps to sit up, wolfed out. Eyes burning bright blue, claws out, ready to attack whoever is in his bed. Peter scents the room, not smelling any danger. Only anxiousness and the sweet base scent of the pup.

“They are blue”, Comes a tiny voice of Stiles’, sounding reserved.

“What?” Peter asks, still keeping his change up, just in case, against the pup.

“Your eyes. They are blue. Like mine”, Stiles whispers flashing his own blue eyes at the older wolf.

Peter stares at the pup with bright blue eyes. Stiles is sitting at the end of his bed in his pajamas, fidgeting with his hands as he waits for Peter to speak. The pup smells anxious, terrified. Peter keeps his own emotions closely locked, not giving away anything for the pup to scent.

“How did you get in?” The only thing that leaves Peter mouth as he lets his claws change back but lets his eyes burn blue as he stares at the pup’s blue ones.

Stiles’ scent takes a panicked undertone as he lowers his gaze.

“I.. I... “, Stiles mumbles not looking at Peter, “I picked the lock. I wanted to be with you. I couldn’t sleep. It helps to be close to someone.”

“I locked the door for a reason, you know that pup?” Peter asks, placing himself to lean on the headboard of his bed.

“Are you mad?” Stiles asks worriedly, tears falling down his cheeks, “Daddy always is mad when I go to their bedroom. I…I just don’t like…”

Peter lets Stiles stammer on before the boy falls quiet, quiet sniffles becoming audible after a minute. The older wolf feels a bang of quilt for the pup. He can feel his heart break for the boy crying silently in his bed. The fact that the boy is trying to cry as silently as possible tells so much to Peter about the boy’s home conditions.

“You don’t like what darling?” Peter asks carefully, voice gentle.

Stiles jumps like he forgot that Peter is there, even though he is the one that broke into Peter’s room. His tiny head snaps up as he looks at Peter.

“I don’t like to sleep alone”, The boy whispers.

It is a statement. One that screams desperation from a little pup that has starved for acceptance from someone that understands him. From someone who is not afraid of him for his blue eyes. And the boy sensed that Peter could be that one for him to offer all that. Acceptance, comfort, even love. None of which he gets from his mother or father. No one knows what it feels like to see your reflection in the mirror and see electric blue eyes staring back.

“Do your parents let you sleep with them?” Peter asks, shifting on the bed.

The tiny wolf shakes his head: “Daddy says that I need to learn to sleep alone. I get enough from the pack, that’s what he said one night when mommy was in the hospital.”

They stare at each other for a second before Peter does something he never thought he would do for anyone. Peter pulls his covers aside, letting the pup climb under them with him. The relieved scent of happiness and relief the pup lets out is like a drug for Peter.

Stiles climbs under the covers and lets Peter pull them over them. He wraps his tiny arms around Peter’s chest, hugging the older wolf close as Peter wraps his own arm around the tiny body. Stiles lays on top of Peter’s chest partially, the whole body flushed against the taller one.

“Am I a monster?” Stiles asks after a while after listening to Peter's calm heartbeat.

“Why would you ask that?”

“My eyes are blue. Daddy said monsters have blue eyes because they are evil and do evil stuff”, Stiles whispers, clutching Peter more tightly, tiny body tensing, “After he had drunk his bottle. It smells bad.”

Peter is seething with anger on the inside as he listens to the pup speak of his home, his parents, his father that rejects his son. About a mother who is dying and no one is telling him anything because they think he is too small and too stupid to understand. He tells Peter how he has done his own research of the disease, how he knows his mother doesn’t have long, how his mother has started to smell bad, like death.

“Oh darling”, Peter murmurs in Stiles’ hair kissing it, “I don’t think you are stupid at all. You are the smartest person I have met and you are eight.”

“I’m nine soon”, Stiles whispers.

“Soon to be a nine year old and you know so much. You know about your mother’s disease even when no one has told you about it. Only smart people look for information they don’t have. And no. You are not a monster even if you have blue eyes. I’m not a monster and I have blue eyes right?”

Stiles takes a long moment to consider all this before he turns to face Peter.

“You are the only one with blue eyes that I have met. Why is that?” 

“You don’t need to worry your pretty head with that just yet. How about I tell you about it when you are a little bit older?” Peter asks petting Stiles’ soft hair.

“They always say that but they never tell”, Stiles huffs trying to pull away from Peter but Peter pulls him back, not letting go.

“Do you hear me lying?” Peter asks, curious if Stiles can detect a lie.

“No”, Stiles answers finally, frowning, “Adults always lie. But you didn’t. Even Alpha Talia lies all the time, when she doesn’t think I can tell when people are lying.”

“That she does”, Peter laughs and Stiles relaxes in his arms, “I don’t have any need to lie to you. You would only find out later I have lied and you would be angry. We wouldn’t want that now, would we?”

“I understand why Cora likes you the best”, Stiles whispers as he snuggles Peter’s neck

“Oh yeah”, Peter chuckles as he pulls the pup in.

“But she doesn’t get to have you. You are mine”, Stiles states taking in a deep breath of Peter’s scent.

Peter tenses under the boy. What is the pup talking about?   


“What do you mean?” Peter asks as calmly as he can while Stiles scents him, marking him with his own scent.

“You smell like mine. So you must be mine, right? I won’t let anyone take you from me”, Stiles says, raising his head, eyes bright blue as he stares at Peter, daring him to disagree with him.

“Mate”, Peter whispers in the dark room, feeling his eyes burn to answer to his mate’s claim of possession.

“Mate”, Stiles nods, baring his neck for Peter.

And if Peter was a better person he would have declined, telling Stiles is too young to know for sure about mates. But Peter isn’t so he lets out a quiet growl, telling the pup he approves the gesture.

Peter buries his nose in Stiles’ neck, breathing in deeply. The pure scent of the pup hits him at full force. How could have he missed this? Stiles smells like mate, like home, like his. Peter and his wolf couldn’t be happier at the knowledge of finding their mate and the boy being so much like Peter even if he doesn’t know it yet.

Peter isn’t going to let anyone take Stiles away from him now that he has found him. But he has a dark feeling that Stiles won’t let go of him either. The boy who has faced so much rejection in his short life finds his mate in Peter. In a man who is just as dark and broken as he is.


End file.
